Executor



F. BARR, DECD.

THE :oumm: TRUST COMPANY or uzw voRr EXECUTOR.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION mso JUNE 3 1914.

Patented Aug. 15,1916.

. "IIIIIIH ......u H11 "In-m 5 65 mmvm nederz UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERIC BARR, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.; THE EQUITABLE TRUST COMPANY OF NEW YORK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK, EXECUTOR OF SAID FREDERIC BARR, DECEASED.

ELEc'rRIc SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 15, 1916.

vide a double break switch of simple, sturdy construction, having a relatively quick make and break, possessing high current carrying capacity and one which shall be free from arcing effects.

In the drawing accompanying this specification I have illustrated in concrete form several practical embodiments of the inv'ention, wherein these objects are attained by double break switch mechanism embodying spring pressed contacts disposed one above and the other below a cam which serves as it is operated to force the upper contact upwardly into engagement with the contact portion of a circuit terminal and the lower contactaiownwardly into engagement with a relatively stationary contact.

A special feature consists in placing all the switch mechanism in a chamber formed in the side of an insulating switch base, the contact portion of the circuit terminal being in the form of an angular foot by which the terminal is secured to a flange which forms the upper wall of the switch chamber, the relatively stationary contact being secured to a flange which forms the bottom of the switch chamber and the cam being carried by a spindle which passes through the intermediate portion of the chamber.

Another feature of the invention consists in making up the spring pressed contacts in the form of a yoke-shaped member disposed at the side of the key spindle and having a base portion suitably secured to the switch base and projecting spring contact arms lying on opposite sides of the actuating cam.

A further feature consists in making the contacts of light sheet metal and securing them to the switch base by'bossing up a portion of the sheet metal to produce collar-like projections which are threaded to take se curing screws which engage a part of the insulating. base.

Various other features willappear as the specification proceeds.

Figure 1, is a view of the rear side of a lamp socket switch embodying the invention, with a portion of the insulating base and the screw shell lamp terminal broken away and shown in section. Fig. 2, is a front view of the same, showing the switch mechanism in the open circuit position, portions of the insulating base being broken away also in this view. Fig. 3, is a similar view with the parts in the closed circuit position. Fig. 4, is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the plane of the line 4-4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5, is a detached perspective view of the yoke-shaped spring contact member employed in this first form of the invention. Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are similar views of other forms of such yoke mem-.

bers. Fig. 9, is a front view illustrating other modifications of the invention. Fig. 10, is a similar view showing certain other modifications. Fig. 11, is a vertical sectional view of the same taken substantially on the plane of the line 11-11 in Fig. 10. Fig. 12, is a drop perspectiveview of the lower contact and spring pressed contact member in this form of the switch.

The switch parts are carried by a base 15 of suitable insulating'material. This base is provided with a recess 16 in one side thereof constituting a switch chamber and formed between an upper flange 17 and a lower flange 18.

20 is a circuit terminal provided with an angularly disposed foot 21 secured to the top flange by a screw and projecting inwardly into the switch chamber so as to form a relatively stationary upper contact.

24 is a lower relatively stationary contact secured on top of the bottom flange by a screw 25 passed up through said flange into a screw seat in the contact.

J ournaled in a bearing 30 in the insulating base, substantially midway between the upper and the lower contact and passing transversely through the intermediate portion of the open-sided, switch chamber is a relatively stationary contact 21,-is a spring pressed contact in the form of a spring arm 35, and a similar. spring pressed contact'36 j is arranged'to engage with the lower 0on tact 24. The upper one of these spring arms extendsabove the cam and the lowerone ex: tends beneath the cam so that when the cam is turned 'to the position shownjn Fig. 3, the tips of the arms are forcedinto engagement with the upper and lower contacts respectively.

by a connecting-bar 40. ,At the point of connection with the bar, the spring arms are usually formed with reverse bends 41 which may be angular in shape as shown and I which serve in effect as hinges imparting increased resiliency to the spring action of the'arms. a

Various devices may be employed for se-' curing the yoke=shaped contact .member in position upon the insulating base. In the form shown in Figs. 2 to 5, the contact member is made with a base 44, integrally united with the head or crossbar 40 .of the yoke and disposed at; anangle thereto, substan tially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the spring arms. A screw 45, passed through an opening in the back of the insulating base into engagement with the base portion of the yoke member, as shown in Fig. 4, serves to secure said member in. place.

The contact members are preferably made of relatively light spring metal, such as phosphor bronze and in order that the securing screws may be engaged direct in the metal of such members without the interposition of nuts and the like, I propose to eyelet boss or strike up the metal in the-base portion of such members into the form of a bushing or collar-like projection 50 which is internally threaded to take a securing screw. This provides a screw seat of sufficient-length to firmly hold a screw and aside from the saving effected by the elimination of nuts for the screws, the parts can be much more readily and conveniently assembled. 1 v

The operation will' 'be readily apparent from Figs/2 and 3. the parts in the position show n in Fig. 2, the circuit is open at both sides of the cam; When the cam is turned into the position shown in Fig. 3, the upper springpressed' contact'35 is forced up into engagement with the contact portion of the circuit terminal 20 and the lower spring pressed contact 36 isforced downwardly into engagement with the lower relatively stationary contact 24. This lower contact is in the illustration electrically 'the contact actuating cam of metal.

40 of .the yoke-shaped contact member to thelower contact 24 and by-screw 25to the center lamp terminal. The other side of the circuit is provided for in the-case illustrated ing screw 66 and circuit terminal 67. This securing screw, serves, as showninFig. 1,

vby a screw shell lamp terminal 65, secur by being passed up through the bottom of the switch base-to secure'both the lamp ter- I -minal and the circu'it terminal in place. The

In the forms of the inventipn illustrated in the first nine figures, the spring arms are integrally united in spaced apart rela tion bottom'flange' l8'into engagement with a extending a flange 71 upgfrom the bottom flange and laterally over the top of the nut.

Greater durability and an easier action.

of the switch parts is obtained by making The conductive quality thus given the cam also adds to the current carrying-capacity of the switch for with a metal cam parallel paths. are provided for'the current, one around the I yoke member and the other straight across the cam, as will be clear from Fig. 3. When the cam is turned to off position a double break occurs between the ends of the spring arms and the relatively stationary contact with the cam in parallel across the break. At the moment of break the yoke provides a shunt around the cam, relieving the cam of current carrying need and preventing heating at the working surfaces of the cam 'nut 69 seated in a pocket 70 'provided by and the contact arms. The double path for the current keeps the parts cool and this with the elimination of heating at the cam gives the switch materially greater current carrying capacity.

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 illustrate variations in the form and the manner of mounting the yoke shaped contact member. In the first two of these views the reverse bends 75 formed at the ends of the spring arms are curvilinear, instead of angular in form and the members as a hole are mounted upon supporting brackets. is secured to the back of the member by a rivet- 7 7 and the ,bracket is provided with a screw seat 79 to receive a securing screw which may be passed down. through the top or up through the bottom of the switch base -depending upon which way the bracket is In Fig. 6 bracket 76 8 where the base portion of the member carries a tang or lug 85 which is passed through an opening to the back of the insulating base and there bent over or clenched to therel'iy t'asten said member to the base.

The form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 2) is similar in a general way to the form first described. in this form the upper circuit terminal 87 has an angular contactportion 88 extending into the switch chamber as before, but the terminal is secured on the base by a screw 39 passed through from the back ot the base. and engaged in a screw seat in the terminal.- The yoke-shaped contact member also has certain distinguishing features here in that the reverse bonds are directed rearwardly so as to em age in recesses or pockets 90 on oppo site sides of an inwardly projecting rib 91, and the angularl v extending base portion 92 of said umnhcr extends completely across the back of the switch chamber. The contact member is in this way positioned and held in the switch chamber. It is usually further se ured by providing it with an opening 5); through which the key spindle passes.

In the. construction illustrated in Fi s. 10, 11 and 12 a. conductive cam is always em ployed and the spring contact arms are sepa rat instead of being connected together as in the previous forms. Thus the upper spring pri-sscd contact is in the form of an introverted spring arm 95.,sccured to the base by a screw W3 passed down through the. top of the base and the lower spring pressed contact is in the form of an introverted spring arm 97 secured by a screw 98 passed up through the bottom flange of the base. The upper spring contact is forced 'by the cam up into engagement with the angular toot or contact portion 21 ot' the circuit terminal and the lower spring contact is tc-rced down into engagement with a rclatiiely stationary contact 99. This lower contact is as shown in Fig li, connected by the screw {)8 with the center lamp contact tit). The lower spring contact while secured in place by screw 98 is insulated therefrom and min the relatively stationary contact by surrounding the screw with an insulating bushing 104) where it passes through the opening ml in the base portion of said spring contact and inter-posing a layer 102 of insulation between the underside of contact 99 and the top of" the base portion of the spring contact. In this form also it is apparent that the circuit is broken at two points, namely between spring contact 95 and upper contact 21 and between spring contact 97 and lower contact 99.

The construction of the cam in all the forms is such as to close the circuit with a quick action and to interrupt it with a quick break. The breaking of the circuit at two points and at opposite sides of the cam prevents arcing and renders the switch capable of carrying a considerable load. The few number of parts and the simple method of assemblage makes the switch a very durable and at the same time a very economical one to manufacture.

What I claim is 1. In an electric switch. an insulating base having a recess in one side thereof forming an open-sided switch chamber and flanges at the top and bottom of said recess, a circuit terminal having an angular-1y projecting foot portion secured to the top flange and extending within the switch chamber, a contact secured to the bottom flange and disposed, within the switch chamber substan tially opposite the foot of the circuit terminal. a key spindle journaled in the base and extending thrbugh the interinci'liate portion of the switch chamber, a conducting cam on the spindle and spring pressed contact arms disposciil above and below the spind e respectively and arranged to be forced by the cam upwardly into engagement with the foot of the circuit terminal and downwardly into engagement with the lower contact, said spring pressed arms being adapted to break the circuit at two points with the cam in parallel across the break.

2. In an electric switch, an insulating'base having a recess in one side thereof forming an open-sided switch chamber and flanges at the top and bottom of said recess, a circuit terminal having a foot portion secured to the top flange and disposed within the switch chamber, a contact secured to the bottom flange and disposed within the switch chamber substantially opposite the foot of the circuit terminal, a key spindle journaled in the base and extending through the intermediate portion of the switch chamber, a cam on the spindle, and a yoke-shaped member located in the switch chamber at one side of the spindle having a base portion secured to the insulating base and spring contact arm disposed respectively above and below the cam in position to be forced by said cam upwardly into engagement with the foot of the circuit terminal and downwardly into engagement with the lower contact.

3. In an electric switch, an insulatingbase provided witha switch chamber, a circuit terminal havin a contact part extending into the upper portion of said chamber, a contact disposed in the lower portion of the chamber, a key spindle passing through the intermediate portion of the switch chamber, a conductive cam on the spindle Within the chamber, a spring arm extending above the cam into position to be forced thereby up into engagement with the contact part of the circuit terminal, a spring contact having a base portion disposed beneath the lower contact and an introverted spring arm disment with the lower contact.

4. In an electric switch, an insulating base having spaced apart top and bottom parts, 'a circuit terminal having an angularly proj ecting foot portion secured to the underside of the top part, a lower contact secured to the bottom part and disposed substantially opposite the foot of the circuit terminal, a center lamp contact connected to said lower contact, a key spindle journaled in the base between the angular foot of the circuit terminal and the lower contact, a cam on the spindle, spring-pressed contact arms disposed above and below the spindle respectively and arranged to be forced by the cam upwardly into engagement with the foot of the circuit terminal and downwardly into engagement with the lower contact, said spring pressed arms being adapted to break the circuit at two points with the camin parallel across the break, a screw shell lamp contact on the base, and a circuit terminal on the base connected to said screw shell contact.

5 In an electric switch, the combination Df 'arl insulating base, an upper circuit ter- Iftmal mounted on the base having a laterally extending contact portion, a lower. relatively stationary contact secured on the base opposite the contact portion of the upper circuit terminal, a key spindle journaled in the insulating base intermediate the lower stationary contact and the upper contact ortion of the terminal, a cam on the spind e, a yoke-shaped member at one side of the spindle having a base portion and spring contact arms disposed respectively above and below the cam in position to be forced by the cam upwardly into engagement withthe contact portion of the terminal and downwardly into engagement with the lower contact, a bracket engaging said base portion and pro videdwith a screw seat, and a securing screw passed through the back of the, insulating base into engagement with said screw seat to thereby secure the yoke-shaped member on the'base at the side of the spindle. FREDERIG BARR. Wit esses:

2 GHMAN, PHILIP- S. MCLEAN. 

